Clamp



C. A. GREENE.

CLAMP.

APPLICATION men MAR.J24, 192:.

1,41 1,569. Patnted Apr. 4, 1922.

cHARtEsA. Gasman, or LOS ANGELES, camroalvm.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4;, 192? Application fi led March 24, 1221. Serial No.455,096.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES GREENE, a. citizen of the United States,residing at Los' Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clamps, ofwhich the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide a clamp which, whileadapted for general use, is particularly useful for an invalid liftingdevice wherein a plurality of the clamps are provided upon a frame, sothat the clamps may engage the corners of bed clothing upon which aninvalid rests,

' in order that the invalid may be raised by lifting the frame havingthe clamps connected thereto.

The clamp provides an extremely simple but eificient arrangement wherebybed clothing, or the like, may be positively held between the jaws ofthe clamp which are movable relative to one another with one of saidjaws provided with connecting means whereby the clamp may be secured toa suitable frame, such as the frame of an invalid lifting: mechanism.

he inventionwill be readily understood from the following description ofthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowing the improved clamps employed in an invalid lifting device withthe clamps engaging the bed clothing upon which the invalid rests.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the clamp.

Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections on the line 33 of Fig. 2 andshowing the clamp swung to closed clamping position and in opendisengaging position respectively.

The improved clamps may be employed in connection with individuallifting mechanism which may comprise side bars 1 connected by a crossbar 2 so as to form a frame which may be lifted in an suitable manner.The clamps are connected to the respective ends of side bars 1 and areadapted to engage the respective corners of bed clothes 3 upon which aninvalid rest-s and in order that the invalid may be readily lifted.

Each of the clamps comprises a stirrup 4 having a clamping base 5 and arod 6 pivoted to the upper end of the stirrup. An eye bolt 7 may beconnected to the end of the rod, and said eye bolt is adapted to bereceived through one of the side bars 1 and held in place by a nut; 8 sothat rod 6 and stirrup at depend from the sidebar. A second stirrup 9 isreceived over stirrup 4;. and the stirrup 9 is pivoted to the stirrup 4;by pins 10 received through the side bars of the respective stirrups.The upper ends of stirrup 9 are connected by a pm 11 against which rod 6is adapted to abut in order to swing the stirrups into closed positlonrelative to one another when pull is exerted upon rod 6, as will bereadily understood by reference to Figs 3 and 4. The base 12 of stirrup9 is adapted to overlie the base 30f the stirrup 4 when the stirrups areswung into alinement, as shown in Fig. 3, and the bases 5-12 arepreferably inclined, as clearly shown in Fig. 3,- with the adjacentsurfaces of said bases provided with projecting teeth 13 arranged inoffset relation upon the re spective bases, so as to move past oneanother as the stirrups are swung into alinement, in order to form meansfor clamping bed clothes 3 between said toothed surfaces. It will beunderstood that when it is desired to engage bed clothes by the clampthat the stirrups are swung into alinement,

as shown in Fig. 3, so that the toothed surfaces 13 will engage therespective sides of the bed clothes and clamp the latter between thebases of the stirrups. In order to disengage the bed clothes, it is onlynecessary to swing stirrup 9 upon pivot pins 10, as

shown in Fig. 4, so that the clamping bases 5-12 are swung out ofalinement and into a position providing for the ready removal of the bedclothes.

Various changes ma be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A clam comprising stirrups comprising U-shapeil members pivoted onewithin the other and having bases adapted to be brought into alinementto form clamping engagement with a member between said bases.

2. A clamp comprising stirrups comprising U-shaped members pivoted onewithin the other and having connecting means secured to one of saidstirrups, said stirrups also having bases adapted to be brought intoalinement to form clamping engagement with a member between said bases.

3. A clamp comprising stirrups pivoted one within the other and havingbases in- V clined with relationto the sides of said stirone within theother and having cannecting rups, and adapted to be brought intoalinemeans secured to one of said stirrups, said i ment to formclampingengagement with n stirrups'alsmhaving basesinclined withremember between said bases. lation to the sides of said stirrups andpro- 15 5 4. A clam comprising stirrups eompi'iswided with co-operatingteeth adapted to be ing U-shapec members pivoted one within brought intoalinement to form clampin the other and having co-operating toothedengagement with a member between sai bases adapted to be brought intoalinement bases. to form clamping engagement with a mem- In testimonywhereof I have signed my 20 10 her between said bases. name to thisspecification.

5. A clamp comprising stirrups pivoted 7 CHAR-LES A. GREENE.

